


Glass

by LightNS



Series: Light Shines Bright Through [2]
Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2019-11-05 08:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17915753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightNS/pseuds/LightNS
Summary: Years after Raven's disappearance, new K9 Officer Garfield sets off on a mission to bust the international crime lord, Trigon. Little did he know that one assignment could send both their worlds crashing down. Sequel to Broken. BBRae AU.





	1. Mission

**Mission**

"Is she ready?"

"Been in training for months now, ready to be dispatched."

"I must say, Logan, I'm impressed. A K9 officer at twenty-six isn't common, much less one with expertise on animal behavior."

"Well, double majors do have their perks," he let out a hearty chuckle.

"Double major? Impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if you end up in the major ranks before you hit your mid-thirties."

Garfield grinned but didn't say anything. The vehicle came to a halt outside the target premise. A couple of police cars were already parked at the sight, along with another K9 unit. He spotted Dick already directing a few of his apprentices. Even from the distance, he emitted the sort of authoritative and leadership aura he had since high school, and the newbies appeared to be terrified of the guy. Then again, if Garfield hadn't known Dick since high school, he would've also been intimidated by a guy who rose up the law enforcement ranks faster than his own mentor had.

After spotting Garfield, Dick quickly wrapped up his conversation and strolled towards him. Garfield greeted him with the usual goofy smile he had donned throughout his high school career. Besides his higher education, muscular frame, taller height, and his newfound respect from many of the rookies as well as some of the higher up's of the law enforcement track like Mr. Queen, Garfield hadn't changed much. He held the same mischevious spark that made him one of a kind, except it now served as his charisma and the ladies adored it.

"Ready?"

"Yep," Garfield nodded as he unlatched the back door. "Blue, come here girl," he called the burly, long-haired, dark German Shepard down from the vehicle.

She hopped down with her usual effortless and lavish demeanor (she was quite the diva after all) flaunting off her new K9 unit vest. Garfield had been assigned to the dog almost a year prior. Though he hadn't originally planned on pursuing a Criminal Justice degree during high school, he found himself with an odd desire to do so after graduating. By the time Dick had suggested he pair it with his Animal Behavior degree and train for a K9 officer position, there hadn't been a doubt in his mind. It had been the best decision Garfield had taken considering he adored the job, and he especially loved having Blue as his partner in crime (well, technically  _partner in law_ ).

Today was Blue's first official and serious assignment as a fresh graduate from the K9 academy, and she looked to be as thrilled as Garfield was.

"Ready, girl?" he caressed the thick coat on her neck. He took the torn blouse Dick held out to him and raised it to Blue's nose. Then, he took a deep breath before announcing the long over-due phrase. "Search!" he commanded, and Blue rushed forwards, her nose buried on the ground in search of the missing girl's scent.

Blue led them past the abandoned warehouse and towards the woods behind it. They struggled through the thick branches and bushes, Blue's face practically hidden below the greenery. After walking almost a mile away from their arrival destination, Blue came to a halt and sniffed around a particular spot on the ground.

"Find something, girl?" Garfield asked.

Blue sat down and looked up at him. Dick and Garfield exchanged glances.

Dick kneeled down and traced a hand across the dirt, soon discovering that it was obscuring a wooden trapdoor beneath. Once he was able to find a handle, he opened the trapdoor. It revealed a sort of sewer system below, and once the command was given, Blue didn't hesitate on hopping down, landing gracefully on her paws as she did. They continued to follow the trace with their flashlights until they finally ran into a hidden door amidst the darkness.

Dick hurriedly opened it up and silently signaled for the officers behind him to follow. The room was lit up by a few candles, and upon turning the corner, they found them: five girls, ages ten to nineteen, all crammed in a corner with tape over their mouths and limbs tied together with thick rope. Their expressions were that of utter fear.

They wasted no time in untying them and providing medical help to the ones who required it.

"It's alright. You're okay now," Garfield consoled a smaller girl whose eyes were wide with terror as she watched another trail of policemen burst through the doors.

Upon helping all of the girls out of the sewer, Dick began to question one of the girls on who had held them captive. Garfield stood to the side on his knees and running his hands through Blue's fur to reward her.

"There were two men who came in often… They brought in food, and they escorted us to the restrooms. We were originally kept in this big house but they moved us here after a while. I'm not sure why… They didn't come to feed us or watch us, they just disappeared… We thought we were going to die," the oldest girl explained, her eyes shut tightly and tears forming at the brims. She took a moment to inhale a calming breath before continuing. "They had a leader, a tall man with white hair and light skin." Garfield looked up, the description igniting a familiar resentment within his gut. "They never mentioned anyone's names… They went by code names. Dragon, Bull, Gorilla… those are the few I remember. Then there's the one they mentioned most often. I think it was… T-trigon. That's… That's everything I know."

Garfield clenched his fists, the fire abruptly dispersing across his whole body and sending waves of outrage throughout. He hadn't heard the name in a long time, since his unfortunate last meeting with Raven. The day he hadn't been able to wipe out from his memory.

"Thank you, Melany. Your information is really helpful. We'll do everything we can to avenge your captors. We're going to send you off to your family and place you under surveillance. You're safe now. I promise," Dick placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and the girl slowly nodded. He sent her off with Mr. Queen who led the girls to the vehicle they'd be sent home on.

"Trigon," Dick repeated while scribbling something on his notebook.

"Why do you think they left them here?" Garfield questioned as he righted himself.

"My guess? Trigon wanted them gone for whatever reason, and he ordered his pawns to leave them stranded somewhere they wouldn't be found or couldn't escape," he theorized. "They didn't count on us having this place under surveillance after they reported it for suspicious activity. Unless it was a set-up, that they wanted us to find them," he clenched his fists and shook his head, "All we have left is to catch that son of a bitch, but he's practically a ghost in the system. If only we could have one clue. It'd be all it could take to finally bust him."

Garfield breathed in, knowing full-well what he was about to disclose could change everything. He looked around, making sure there wasn't anyone else close enough to hear. "Dick, I think I might have some valuable information, but it's going to need a lot of further investigation."

"About?" Dick raised an intrigued eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"About Trigon's identity," he stated. Dick stared at Garfield with an unreadable expression, a sign that he was waiting for him to elaborate. Garfield sighed, "I have a suspicion that Trigon could be Trenton Roth."

* * *

"How do I look?" Garfield strolled into Dick's office following an extensive makeover from Kory whose passion for fashion and make-up had finally paid off.

"... Like a completely different person," Dick gawked at him. "Wow… Kory… Just, wow! How did you manage this?" he asked in awe as he circled around Garfield regarding his new look.

His previously sandy-blonde hair was now dyed to a deep jet-black that contrasted his sparkling azure contacts. Using special equipment and some handy skills she'd picked up from cosmetology school, Kory had managed to define his cheekbones in addition to a square jaw. There was also what Dick assumed to be a layer of make-up caked on his skin to lightened his tan complexion. As opposed to looking like a California surfer dude like he used to, he now gave the appearance of a sophisticated man working at an important business (especially with the dark blue button-up and matching blazer-trouser combo he modeled). However, the detail that most stood out, as it appeared completely uncharacteristic of Garfield, were the black glasses he donned that presented him as an intelligent library-goer interested in discussing Shakespeare during a lavish dinner party.

It was the perfect disguise.

"Oh, it was not difficult at all! I took the idea from a television series that I believed is called… The minds of criminals?" Kory placed a finger under her chin and looked up.

"Well wherever you go it from, I'm proud of you babe," Dick gave her a peck on the cheek, and Kory giggled like a love-struck schoolgirl. His eyes turned wide when she placed her arms around his neck and embraced him abruptly.

"Oh God, not again…" Garfield muttered under his breath whilst doing a facepalm. Dick and Kory's relationship could only be described by one word: complicated. Since high school, they'd had an on-and-off fling that  _everybody_  found irritating. For once, they had broken up at the end of senior year to go off on their separate ways during college. Dick had gotten some other girlfriend (Barbara Gordon he believed to be her name) during his sophomore year while Kory had started dating a rich boy who followed her around like a lost puppy. Following college, they'd both broken up with their respective partners and they'd started dating again. This time, however, it lasted much shorter as their vastly different mindsets would have it. Instead of breaking up completely, they started what they referred to as an "open relationship" which Garfield just translated to fuck-buddies. Now, considering their lovey-dovey act (they didn't act that way during fuck-buddy season), it seemed as if they'd started a "normal" relationship yet again.  _Wonder how long this one will last_ , he wondered to himself.

"Alright Gar, it seems like you're all ready. You got the plan down, right?" Dick posed after managing to get Kory to stop strangling him.

Garfield nodded and grinned cockily, "Yep! You know I got this."

"Hope you do cause this is going against every rule in the book. You're risking your whole career over it. Are you sure about this? You can still back out, and we can find another way."

Garfield pondered it for a moment, but upon hearing an echo of the girl's description of the man inside his head, he clenched his fists. "A hundred percent," he asserted.

"... Okay. I'll let the department know that you're going on leave for a few weeks. And Gar, whatever you do, don't reveal your identity to  _anyone_. You can go on to Vic. He's in the lab," he explained.

"You're not coming?" Garfield raised an eyebrow, his eyes tracing the oh-so-happy couple (for now at least).

"I've got some… business… with Kory," Dick cleared his throat. Kory smiled innocently and sent Garfield a little wave.

He wiggled his eyebrows, "Well I'll leave you to your  _business_ ," he alleged suggestively before walking out.

Garfield headed towards the department lab where Victor was working on some prototype equipment for their future assignments. He stood beside him, only a few inches away, inspecting the instrument Victor was struggling with while muttering something to himself. He was so focused on the task at hand that he didn't notice Garfield.

"Hey Vic!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"Ah!" Victor jerked in his seat and barely caught the object. He turned to his best friend with a glare but seemed promptly confused by his new persona. "Who the hell are… Wait… Gar!? Damn, Kory did an amazing job with you!"

"I know right?"

"Yeah! You actually have some looks going for you now!"

"Hey!" Garfield feigned offense.

Victor let out a chuckle before getting up from his seat and strolling to his locker. He put in the combination and removed a suitcase from inside. "I suppose you're ready for your mission, then. Everything you need is right here in this box," he handed it to him. "Don't open it until you get to the hotel. Dick's driver's in the back parking lot waiting to pick you up. He's going to take you straight there. The cameras are "under repair" for now so as long as no one sees you walk out of the building, you're in the clear. Whatever you do Gar, don't answer to your real name, don't give any actual information away, don't reveal anything to anyone, everything you say should come from what you rehearsed.  _Everything_. There's a flip phone in your luggage. No signal can come through unless you activate it. Only use it for reports. Hide it somewhere safe and don't let anyone get their hands on it. It can take pictures, granted they're somewhat bad quality, but it could serve as your evidence journal. Be safe Gar, and don't forget to check in. I hope you're mission goes well."

"Got you, dude. God, I'm going to miss this place," he glanced around the lab.

"It'll only be two months, probably not even that long. You'll be fine," Victor waved a hand to reassure him.

Garfield nodded, "Well, I'll see you in two months." He gave a two-finger salute before strolling out of the lab. He made his way through the isolated hallways to the exit before hurrying into the car waiting outside. He sighed once inside, slightly nervous about his next moves. He didn't have the option to mess up. He didn't even want to think about the consequences if he did.

"Good afternoon Mr. Steven. Would you like me to take you straight to your hotel?"

"That would be perfect," Garfield smiled while adjusting his glasses and peering out the window. Oh boy was this going to be fun.

* * *

"Robin to Beast Boy, do you read?"

"BB checking in. All is well in Wonderland. Trip went smoothly. No suspicious activity it seems. Getting through airport security proved to be much easier than I thought."

"Pulled a lot of strings for you, man. Your theory better be right."

"I can assure you, I'm going to catch that son of a bitch no matter what it takes."

"Alright, just be careful and don't do anything stupid. I'm serious about that."

"Dealio, see ya Robin."

* * *

The gala was nothing short of extravagant—women walking around in expensive gowns and men all donning elegant suits. The walls were adorned with silk curtains, there was an orchestra playing Beethoven music in the background, the marble floor was so clear you could practically see your reflection, and the tables all held gold and silver platters (which he presumed were real) with food on them. Garfield felt out of place. Though David Steven (his new persona) fit right in, Garfield himself could barely stand to speak to all of those entitled people.

However, he had a mission, and he was going to go through with it. The first step of the plan was simple. Get invited to Malchior Nol's famous gala in London through any means possible, his being charming a young woman into an invitation over the course of a week. Her name was Jillian Jackson, and she was the daughter of an affluent man in England, one Garfield knew was very good friends with Malchior.

"Mr. Steven, my daughter has spoken very highly of you," Mr. Jackson mentioned as he shook Garfield's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"You as well, sir. Thank you for the invitation to the gala. It has been splendid so far," he responded politely.

"Oh, Jillian insisted I should meet you, and what better way than through this?" He extended his hands to refer to the humongous ballroom. "You see, Mr. Nol is a close friend, and his galas are the absolute best here in London. You won't go to any others like it."

"I realize that now. It really has been amazing so far."

"David!" Jillian pushed through the crowd and latched onto his arm, making sure to flaunt her sparkly salmon floor-length dress as she did. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

Garfield chuckled lightly and grinned at her, the oh-so-charming smile that made girls like her swoon over him (admittedly, it'd been his best improvement since high school), "I'm glad you invited me, love."

Jillian giggled and fluttered her eyelashes. She opened her mouth to speak, but a voice coming from the stage interrupted her. The orchestra stopped playing, and everyone turned their attention to the man speaking on the microphone. Garfield barely managed to contain a snarl and instead settled on gritting his teeth.

He hadn't changed much, besides the fact that he looked older, more powerful, and like a major asshole. His lightly combed hair was the same pale hue, and his expression was as maliciously cunning as it had been before. Garfield could only fantasize about punching him until his pretty-boy face wore off.

"Good evening everyone, I'm glad you could make it to our Spring Gala. This year, we dedicated the gala to the Children's Reed Hospital Foundation who we've made a generous donation of five thousand dollars to for resources," everyone clapped and cheered after the announcement, and Malchior waited until they quieted down to continue. "As usual, there are refreshments and appetizers available on the tables. Please don't hesitate on grabbing some. This gala is for us to celebrate the success of Nol Corporation as well as our great relationship with our many partners, one being Skath Entertainment. Unfortunately, Mr. Roth could not be here with us today as he is handling some urgent matters. However, he expressed his appreciation for my invitation, and he hoped that you all would have a wonderful night. Please enjoy yourselves. I'll be walking around greeting everyone." The audience clapped once again as Malchior headed off the stage.

"Jillian, if you don't mind, I would like to share my gratitude to Mr. Nol."

Jillian let go of his arm and planted a kiss on his cheek, "I think that's a great idea. Just come back when you can," she smiled sweetly at him. Despite being somewhat of a daddy's little girl, Jillian was an overly sweet and peppy girl, and Garfield felt a bit guilty about using her for his plan.

He smiled one last time before strolling towards Malchior who was having a conversation with an older gentleman.

"Good evening Mr. Nol," Garfield took the opportunity to speak to him when the old man said his goodbye. "David Steven," he shook his hand and forced a polite smile. He couldn't help but squeeze a little bit too hard, not too much to feel threatening but enough to release some of his contained animosity towards him.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steven," he nodded his head. "What brings you here?"

"Ms. Jackson invited me, and I graciously accepted as I knew I'd get the opportunity to meet you. Your generous donations never cease to impress me, Mr. Nol. I just wanted to express my gratitude in person."

"Oh, no need to thank me. I pride myself on being a philanthropist, after all," Malchior boasted, his arrogant expression causing Garfield's blood to practically boil.

"I'm also rather impressed by your ongoing plans for an international circus. I find the idea splendid, and I would love to know more about your plan. I've heard you've been hiring wonderful  _performers_."

Malchior raised both eyebrows, "I find it intriguing that you know about my plans for an international circus. If you don't mind me asking, how did you find out?"

"Through the means of a good friend who's the manager of a club under the ownership of Skath Entertainment back in San Francisco. We were having a casual discussion about our prospective business when he brought up your partnership."

"Ah, I see. Well, I've actually been searching for sponsors for this new project, and I wouldn't mind including you. I'm afraid we will have to speak about this further at a later date as it's quite a bit of information," he took out a business card from his pocket and scribbled something on it. "This is my personal number. You may call me tomorrow to arrange a meeting date."

 _Bingo_. "Splendid," Garfield grinned as he slipped the card into his pocket. "Now if you don't mind letting me know, where is your bathroom?"

"Down the hallway and to the right. I will speak to you later, Mr. Steven. And again, a pleasure to meet you," Malchior shook his hand one more time before disappearing into the crowd.

Garfield inconspicuously headed down the hallway and locked himself in the bathroom. He removed his hidden flip phone from his shirt pocket and snapped a picture of the phone number that he quickly sent to Victor with the caption,  _Malchior's personal number_. He hid the phone once more and made sure he looked presentable before opening the door to go back to Jillian.

His heart dropped when he did, and he couldn't help but feel his knees weaken.

Her eyes were the first thing he recognized—the rich indigo color that could hypnotize him for hours on end. Then, he noted her pale doll-like complexion, and Garfield's fingers urged to reach out and caress her soft skin. Her dark hair was pulled into a loose yet elegant bun adorned by a gold pin atop. She wore a precious purple gown with a slit reaching up to her mid-thigh that hugged her curves perfectly, revealing just enough to  _almost_  send him over the edge. In spite of how much she'd developed, she was still petite, and Garfield wished he could reach out to embrace her, her frame fitting into his arms like a missing puzzle piece.

But he couldn't.

He caught himself before he uttered her name. And per usual, she glared at him like she'd done all those times during high school. And this time, he was ecstatic to see that expression from her.

Garfield managed to compose himself and muttered, "Sorry, I was a little surprised that someone was outside the door."

"Don't worry about it," she croaked, her heavenly voice echoing inside his ears. "... Do I know you?"

"Uh, no, not at all," Garfield stammered, breaking character for an ephemeral moment. He cleared his throat and offered a hand. "David. David Steven at your service."

She took his hand, but instead of shaking it, Garfield gently raised it and planted a kiss atop of it. She didn't emote and instead stared at him with a cold gaze.

"Rachel," she replied after he let her hand go, and his heart dropped when he realized she'd changed her name, probably because of him. Before he could ponder on it, her question brought him back. "What brings you here?"

"I was invited by someone. And who would be crazy enough to not show up to Mr. Nol's gala?" he snickered, excluding the information about Jillian being his date.

Raven nodded, "My husband's galas are quite popular."

"Husband?" he asked, his voice raising an octave. He bit the inside of his cheek nervously.

"Yes," she asserted. "Malchior is my husband."

"Oh, I had no idea…"

She arched an eyebrow, "Well we have  _just_  met. How would you expect to know?"

"Oh, I guess just seeing you on TV? Mr. Nol is sort of a big figure," he chuckled awkwardly, burying his hands in his pockets and trying to keep his voice cool. He hadn't been prepared to run into Raven at all, and he could hear all kinds of alarms blaring inside his head.  _Don't reveal anything to anyone_ , he repeated Victor's phrase over and over.

"I'm not fond of appearing on television. Besides, Malchior is a big figure in  _Britain_. You don't sound British at all," she pointed out in a somewhat accusatory tone.

"I do love to travel, however. I go on a lot of business trips," he replied without a falter.

"Where do you work?"

"I work under the international department of Wayne Industries if you recognize him," he told her. "If you don't mind me asking, you don't sound British either, are you perhaps from America?"

Raven nodded, "Yes, but I moved here a few years ago after I married Malchior. Now if you don't mind me, I do have to use the restroom."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry," Garfield jumped out of the way. "I hope to meet you again soon."

"Likewise," she nodded before closing the door.

Garfield walked back to the party, his hands in his pockets and his pace rather slow. He felt the knot in his throat forming, but he managed to sink it down, at least for now.  _Get a grip on yourself_ , he told himself. He couldn't compromise the mission. There was too much on the line.

But at the same time, there was that little voice in the back of his head wondering,  _hadn't he technically done this for her?_

* * *

"Report?"

"I'm going to set up a meeting with Malchior. He doesn't seem suspicious at all, and I'm guessing he's going to do a background check with whatever means possible. It should run clean, so I should be able to develop his trust. Also… I… I ran into Raven."

There was a pause and some shuffling behind the phone, "... How did that go?"

"She got married to Malchior after all… I had no idea. She never came up when I tried to find her on the internet, no matter how many times I searched her up. I guess it's because she changed her name to Rachel. I don't know why."

"... Do you think she…"

"No, not at all. Even if her father is Trenton and her husband is Malchior, she's not that kind of person. Raven would never sink down to that level."

"BB, no offense, but you only knew Raven for a short period of time. Are you sure you  _really_  knew her? She did manage to fool you twice."

He felt a wave of offense indulge him, but he managed to keep his temper. "Yes. I knew at least that from her. I'll contact you with another report as soon as I can and also to find out if Cyborg was able to break into the signal."

"Copy that, Robin out," Dick transferred before the signal broke.

Garfield stuffed his phone inside his drawer and sighed. He stared at the bathroom mirror of his hotel room for a while, scrutinizing the features of the strange man standing before him. His thoughts kept going back to Raven, her beautiful eyes. He sighed and peeled off the enhancements one by one before storing them in a special container Victor had prepared for them. Then, he washed his face, but he avoided his own reflection and instead headed straight to bed.

It didn't take long for him to drift asleep, his mind shutting off as a defense mechanism to avoid certain thoughts about a certain raven-haired woman. But even then he dreamed about her and her enchanting gaze.

And his mind couldn't help but entertain the thought that maybe,  _just maybe_ , she would come back to him one day.


	2. Caught

**Caught**

"You must be Mr. Steven?" the chubby man donning an elegant black suit and thick glasses questioned.

"Yes, I am. I set up an appointment with Mr. Nol," Garfield responded, his eyes tracing the humongous entrance hall of the mansion behind him.

"I'm Alston Morrison, but you may refer to me as Alston. I'm the butler of Nol Manor. If you need anything, don't hesitate on asking. I will escort you to Mr. Nol's office," the British man opened the door and extended a hand. "Right this way, sir."

The mansion was lined with clean marble-floors, white wallpaper, and antique furniture. There were various paintings of individuals, some that he recognized as Malchior's extended family that he'd seen on the news. Oddly enough, there were also dozens of mirrors scattered throughout, coming to show how egotistic Malchior appeared to be. Garfield followed the butler through the maze of hallways, twisting and turning until they arrived at an ebony wood door. Alston knocked and awaited a response from the other side.

"Come in."

He opened the door and extended a hand for Garfield to step through first. Malchior sat at his desk, his head down and his eyes scanning some files in front of him. He glanced up and smiled when he recognized him.

"Mr. Steven! It's great to see you," he stood up from his desk and offered a hand. Garfield shook his hand firmly. He took a seat on the chair facing Malchior's desk and adjusted his glasses, his thumb tracing over the tiny button Victor had installed on the inside of the frame. "Ashton, you may head out. Mr. Steven and I have some business to discuss."

Ashton nodded and exited the room, making sure to close the door behind him.

"So, Mr. Steven, I believe you're interested in joining our business?" Malchior began, his gaze intently observing Garfield, probably searching for any suspicious reaction.

Fortunately, Garfield's college theater classes had come in handy for the job, and he didn't feel a trace of uncertainty as he spoke. "Yes, Mr. Nol. I believe there's no reason to skid across the topic. I would like a spot in your trafficking operations."

Malchior leaned back on his chair and placed his feet on the table. "And what exactly would you be able to offer? I'm sure you are aware of the level of top secrecy in our functions, and we only accept people we trust as well as influential and/or wealthy individuals who can aid our operations."

"For once, I'd be able to offer you a substantial amount of money. I also have a lot of willing customers lined up considering I'm apart of this business myself," a sick sensation pooled inside his stomach as he continued, but he didn't outwardly show it. "Not to mention I have dozens of profitable women and girls lined up in a small independent island off the Somali peninsula, all of which I can easily transfer within the snap of my fingers."

Malchior raised a curious eyebrow, "And how would you expect to do that?"

"I have some helpful acquaintances in Cuba. My customers are open to travel when they want to pick out their  _ flavor of the month _ , and it's delivered to them through means I'm not willing to expose just yet."

"Impressive. I wouldn't pick you out to be a man of this kind of  _ business _ ," Malchior pointed out, his voice oozing interest.

"It's an art form in itself," the words made him feel disgusting, but he managed to keep his act together. He was getting somewhere, and he couldn't allow his revulsion of the situation to come through. "However, I think one last piece of information might fully convince you of my potential in your business."

"And that is?"

"I know Trigon's true identity is Trenton Roth," he stated with confidence.

Malchior intently stared at him with an impassive expression for a few seconds, searching for a telltale sign of doubt. Alas, he found none, and he let out a sigh, "I suppose you've passed my test so far. I don't intend to ask you where you acquired this piece of information, and I will neither deny or ratify it. However, I could set up a meeting with Trigon, seeing as you seem to be serious about this proposition. I will warn you, however, that once you're in this business, there's no backing out, and Trigon will run a profound background check that could put everyone you love at risk. Are you still willing to do this, Mr. Steven?"

There was no hesitation in Garfield's voice when he replied, "I am."

"Very well," Malchior stood from his chair. "You should expect an anonymous call in the next few days to set up a meeting with Trigon. Until then I suggest you keep close watch of your loved ones. If we find out even a single detail of your story doesn't pan out..." he chuckled. "Well, let's not think about that."

"Of course," Garfield grinned. "Pleasure doing business with you," he shook Malchior's hand before retreating towards the door.

"Also, beware of talking to anybody about this transaction," Malchior narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not that kind of man, Mr. Nol. Now if you excuse me," Garfield responded before stepping outside and closing the door behind him.

He leaned back and inhaled a deep breath. So far, he had everything under control. All he had to do now was keep his cool and not blow his cover. No fuck-ups were allowed. As long as he went through with his plan, he'd be back in the states spending time with Blue and watching Trenton's arrest on the news in no time.

He strolled down the hallway attempting to recall the pathway Ashton had taken him through. Just as he turned the corner a door opened to his left, and he was abruptly pulled inside. Within the span of a second, the door closed and a hand pushed him onto the wall. He could feel the edge of a blade against his neck, dangerously close to slicing through his skin. His eyes attempted to discern the individual, but the room was pitch black.

"On," the familiar voice spoke and the newfound brightness revealed her beautiful visage. Raven stared at him with cold eyes, her hand firmly grasping the knife parallel to his carotid artery. One slash and he'd be dead within minutes. "Who the hell are you, and what the hell do you want with my husband's business?"

Garfield remained calm, disregarding the fact that Raven's glare seemed sharper than the knife against his skin. Despite his current condition, he couldn't help remember their old times together, every instance when she scolded him or rolled her eyes after he did something stupid. His tone remained collected as he spoke, "David Steven. We met back at your husband's gala. As to what I want, I presume you heard part of my conversation with your husband."

"Cut the bullshit, I want to know exactly how you found Trigon's identity," she spat, her hand putting more pressure against the blade.

Garfield grinned and without properly thinking of the consequences he responded, "I'm not sure how to answer that, Rae."

Raven stayed silent, her impassive expression tracing over his features. If she hadn't released the pressure on the knife for a moment, he would've thought that she didn't catch the meaning behind his words. Her fingers let go of the blade which crashed on the floor with a  _ clank _ . Then she turned on her heel, her fingers gripping the side of the door frame. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded quietly.

Garfield let out a breath, only now realizing how badly he'd fucked up. He reached a hand towards her, his fingers aching to feel her smooth skin once again, but he didn't touch her. He looked around the room searching for any signs of surveillance. Raven seemed to have caught on to his hesitance to speak considering she muttered, "This is the only room in the manor without any cameras or microphones and the walls are completely soundproof." She turned around with stern eyes, "Now talk."

He sighed, "I joined the law enforcement field a few years ago along with Dick. A little while ago we ran into a case that intertwined with your father's fucked up side-business and speaking to the girl's first-hand made me realize there wasn't a reason for me to keep quiet about your father. You disappeared out of the phase of the earth without so much of a goodbye. I didn't owe you anything."

"I'm not saying you did," Raven gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "But coming here undercover to extract information from Malchior is a stupid decision, even for you."

"I'd take any stupid decision if it meant putting your father in jail and releasing you from his imprisonment," he blurted out.

Raven huffed and took a seat on the sofa behind her, "Don't be ridiculous, Garfield. I'm not trapped. I could disappear any time I'd like."

"Then why don't you?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Because this is the only way I can be useful for anything. I've been gathering intel against my father and his colleagues for the past years. Enough information to put them all down for sure. But it requires a level of trust, sacrifice, and patience to do so. One minor mistake, and I'm done for."

"Then why don't you let me help?" he insisted.

"Because you weren't part of that plan to begin with. If they find out who you are then everything I've done will go to waste. I'm not willing to put it all on the line because you want to act like a hero," she grimaced. "I told you to get on with your own life, to study for your dream job and to find a girl you liked. It's the reason I left because I knew you wouldn't stop insisting you could help me."

"Is that why you changed your name?"

"No. Not all of my decisions revolve around getting away from you. It's been a long time, and a lot of things have happened since I left, but there's no time to discuss our lives. I need you to go back to your country and return to your normal life while you can. This is  _ my mission _ , and you have no right to intrude into  _ my life _ ."

He huffed, "Rae, you're acting as if I'm doing this solely for you. I'm doing this to bring your father down once and for all and protect all of those innocent women and girls. I'm not going back until I accomplish that."

"Gar, don't make this any more difficult than it has to be. The only thing you're going to accomplish is suicide. You know how much power Trigon holds. He'll flick you off his shoulder faster than you can kill a cockroach."

"I'm not backing down," Garfield frowned.

Raven stood up and took a step forward, her gaze never leaving his own, "You will if you know what's best for you."

"Is that a threat?"

"No," she alleged as she faced the doorframe, "That's a warning." She opened the door and walked out, leaving him by himself and unsure of what step to take next.

Garfield sighed before walking out and finding his way to the entrance hall. He said his goodbye to Ashton and headed out to his car. During the ride to the hotel, he couldn't help but think about Raven's life. What exactly had happened since high school? Besides her marriage of course. She didn't seem happy nor sad. If anything, she seemed as dry as ever. Had she really formed such a hard shell around herself that now he couldn't even discern any emotion besides anger? She had barely even reacted when he blew his cover.

He couldn't help but feel a familiar tightness in his chest—the desire to protect her, to love her. Sure, he knew Raven could take care of herself. She'd grown up with the necessity to do so. But he had to admit, she was emotionally fucked up, and he wanted to help her. He wanted to show her that there was more to life than what destiny had condemned her to. That despite being dealt with some awful cards, she could rise above them.

And even if he'd told her that he wasn't solely doing his mission for her (which he wasn't), she was the biggest reason behind his actions, but he'd never admit that to her. Not until he was sure she was by his side. 

* * *

"You did what!?"

"I told her," Garfield repeated into the phone. He lied sprawled out on his bed, eyes focused on the ceiling and the back of his hand over his forehead. He braced himself for Dick's incoming lecture.

"Why the hell would you tell her? It was the first thing we agreed not to do!" Dick exclaimed from the other end, and Garfield had to move the device away from his ear to avoid a lost sense of hearing. "What do you think Cyborg's going to say when I tell him?"

"Dude, I know I messed up, but I couldn't help it. Plus, she had a knife against my neck! What else was I going to do?"

"Anything but that! You're perfectly capable of defending yourself! You trained for it, goddamn it!"

He sighed, "Look, Rob, I know it was a stupid decision, but at least we know she's not on their side. She's been gathering intel just like me. She's trying to bring her father down too. That's only going to be to our advantage."

"I don't think you're understanding the risk behind your actions, BB," Dick muttered. Then in a stern voice, he ordered, "You're going to have to come back. I can't risk you staying over there when Raven knows who you are."

"Dude! What the hell? I've gotten this far! I've secured a meeting with Trigon. It's only a matter of time before-"

"You're going to come back," Dick reiterated, his voice taking on the typical harsh leadership tone every rookie was afraid of.

There was a pause, and Garfield felt his temper begin to rise, "No."

"You don't get to decide that, Gar. We're going to set up a flight for-"

"I said no," Garfield interrupted, his fists clenching. "I'm staying here, and I'm going to bust this motherfucker even if I have to do it by myself. Sorry, Rob, but you can't stop me from doing this," he asserted before hanging up and throwing his phone into his duffel bag.

He lied immobile for what felt like hours, thoughts running through his mind on fast-forward. A knock on his door brought him back to his senses, and he jerked upwards.

"Room service!" the muffled voice of a woman came through.

Garfield sighed and examined himself on the mirror, making sure his appearance still resembled David Steven. He ambled towards the door and peeked through the hole. Surely enough, it was a woman wearing the hotel staff uniform. He opened the door, confused by the fact that he hadn't ordered anything.

"Mr. Steven?" the lady asked.

"Yeah, what's the-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence before a large blow to the face from someone to his side knocked him to the ground.

"What the-" he managed to mutter as he attempted to stabilize himself on two hands. He managed to look up and spot the man standing next to the woman through blurred vision. The man kicked Garfield in the face, and he fell back with a blast to the back of his head.

The lady kneeled down and jabbed something into his neck. He felt the cold fluid drip through his skin. "Don't worry. We're only here to deliver you to your appointment," she muttered. She continued talking, but her words resembled more of a jumbled mess, and his hearing began to deteriorate until all he heard was static. Then he was out. 

* * *

"Ah good, you're awake," a distant voice pulled Garfield from his sleep. His eyelids fluttered opened, and his eyes widened as they gazed over the guy standing in front of him.

He was a tall and broad African-American man (even bigger than Vic) with braided medium-length hair. He wore a tight-fitting white tank top exposing his exaggerated muscle mass and some brown trousers with a black belt. "Don't worry. Trigon will be with us shortly."

"Who… are you?" he sputtered, finding it difficult to breathe out the words. His lungs felt like they were on fire, and he tried to release his wrists from the handcuffs attached to the concrete wall behind him.

He smiled coyly, "As much as I'd love to have a little chat with you, I'm afraid we won't have a lot of time for questions and answers."

"Huh?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

The only door in the room opened and the brightness from outside seeped in. A dark figure stepped inside and turned on the light, blinding Garfield's sight for a moment. He blinked a few times before his vision properly adjusted. There was another guy vaguely resembling the one in front of him with lighter skin and a thinner frame leaning against the door frame. He donned the same coy smile and nefarious expression.

"He's in here," he called back.

The two guys stepped to the side, their postures abruptly turning more submissive. Behind them, a man entered the room, and Garfield narrowed his eyes at the familiar face.

"Hello David," Trenton uttered before chuckling, a deep laugh that admittedly sent shivers across his skin. "Well… If that really  _ is _ your name."

Garfield gulped down his apprehension, somehow suspecting that his entire cover had been blown. So much for having everything under control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys can catch the references to the comics in this chapter, I'll be pleasantly surprised. Also, I don't tend to do author notes here, but I do them over in Fanfiction if you're into that.


	3. Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stress, so much stress. Sorry for taking so long.

**Plan**

“My men performed extensive research on your background and identity, David. And you know what they found for this so-called David Steven? Nothing. A blank slate. As if this guy never even existed. Well, clearly it must be wrong if you’re right here in front of me,” Trenton voiced as he circled around Garfield. “So, _David_. Mind explaining yourself for me?” He kneeled down in front of him and observed him with a blank stare. Unlike Raven’s, his gaze was brooding, nefarious, and utterly disgusting.

Garfield felt the need to spit on him, but he refrained himself from doing so. He kept his voice low and steady as he responded, “Sorry Mr. Roth, but I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. My name is David Steven, and I’m very much real. If you’d so kindly asked for me to bring my identification, I would’ve gladly done so. All I’m searching for is a business partner, I assure you. There’s no trickery involved.”

“Very well. Then I assume you could answer any of my questions,” Trenton challenged.

“Ask away,” Garfield smirked, though he was pretty much panicking on the inside.

“What’s your mother’s full name?”

“Stephanie Clark Steven.”

“Where do you work?”

“I was assistant director of international relations for a few years before I decided to quit and join my friend’s business at a local club he owns.”

“What’s your friend’s name?”

“Roy Harper.”

Trenton arched an eyebrow, “Why don’t we give this so-called Roy Harper a call and see if your story pans out?”

Garfield’s grin widened, “My pleasure. His number is on my phone which, pardon me, I didn’t have time to grab before I was knocked out by your charming men.”

Trenton smirked and pointed two fingers at one of his men, “Find me Roy Harper’s phone number.”

“Right away, sir,” the men nodded before marching out of the room.

“Don’t worry,” Trenton turned back to Garfield. “Your phone won’t be necessary to acquire his number. In the meantime, why don’t you tell me about your family?”

“There’s not much to tell. Both my parents died in a house fire when I was fourteen. I don’t have any siblings. I was thrown around in the foster care system for a while, ran away from home a couple of times.”

Trenton stayed silent for a couple of seconds, eyes watching him with interest. He signaled one of his men with two fingers who handed him a manila folder. Trenton opened the folder and took out a large image to show Garfield.

“Do you recognize this woman?”

Garfield scanned the picture quickly, his stomach suddenly in knots. “Jillian Jackson,” he told him. “Daughter of a famous millionaire. Why do you ask?”

“You were spotted at Mr. Nol’s famous gala with her. I’m interested to know why,” he questioned as he laid back on his chair and crossed his arms.

“It was the only way to gain an invitation and to come in contact with Mr. Nol, otherwise to come in contact with you,” he shrugged.

Before Trenton could reply, the man he had sent out walked in holding a phone. “Sir, we acquired Harper's number, would you like us to call it?”

“Yes, put it on the table,” he ordered. The man quickly placed the phone in between Garfield and Trenton. “Call and put it on speaker.” The man did as told.

Garfield remained silent in his seat staring at the scene unfolding in front of him. The phone rang for a few seconds before being picked up.

“Hello?” the familiar voice asked.

There was an extended moment of silence before Garfield realized he was supposed to speak. “Hey Roy, how are you doing? It's David.”

Roy seemingly paused, and Garfield felt his stomach drop. _Please remember._

“Hey... David! Dude, what's up? How's your trip going?” Roy played along, and a sense of relief overpowered Garfield.

“So far so good, it's pretty rainy over here,” Garfield chuckled, hoping Trenton couldn’t hear the anxiety in his voice. “How's _Verdant_ doing without me?”

“Oh please, you know we got a better handle of things around here without you,” he replied cockily. “She’s thriving as usual.”

“Well I really hope to catch up with you when I travel back,” Garfield told him.

“Yeah definitely, everyone really misses you.”

“I have to hang up now, need to run some errands, I'll talk to you later,” Garfield said his goodbye before Trenton ended the call.

He revised some of the documents inside the manilla folders he had acquired along with the phone. “Says here your friend doesn't run any of our operations despite the fact you told Malchior he was the one who informed you about us,” Trenton posed. “Mind explaining?”

“Roy wasn't the one who told me. He has co-ownership of the club with another person.”

“Who?”

“Jade Nguyen,” Garfield stated and Trenton arched an eyebrow. He smirked, “I'm assuming you know her.”

“I do, in fact, know her. She's been one of my longest running henchmen. I didn't realize she adopted a club,” Trenton eyed one of the men in the room.

The man instantly replied, “Yes, sir, Ms. Nguyen joined the club business last year after she decided to distance herself from her original position.”

Trenton turned back to Garfield, “Impressive. I didn't think you'd pass the test, Mr. Steven. Everything you’ve said so far seems to correlate with our information about you. So far, you seem to be on your way to joining my plans. However, there's one more test to pass.”

“What's that?” he asked.

“We have two girls who need delivering to one of our best customers. If you can successfully smuggle them into the United States, I can offer you a permanent position. If you were to fail… I’m afraid you won't be the only one in trouble.” 

* * *

“BB, I seriously think you're wondering in too deep. All we needed was some sort of evidence against Trenton not for you to turn into a criminal,” Dick chastised.

“Robin, this is the best way to catch this son of a bitch. Arresting one of his customers and getting testimony straight from two victims is sure to bring down his operations,” Garfield responded.

“BB, you're not doing it. End of discussion. I let yesterday’s thing pass, and I’m going to ask this of you one more time. You need to get back. Cyborg can easily use the information you gathered against Trenton.”

“I'm sorry Robin, but if it's going to save the lives of two girls and be sure to bring him down, I have to do this.”

“You're not in the best state of mind and I'm not letting you do this while you're-”

“I’m fine. You’re not going to stop this. I’m going to finish my mission,” Garfield snapped.

He heard Dick sigh from the other end, “You’re making a big mistake.”

“Sorry Rob, maybe I am, but you also made the decision to send me here,” Garfield replied before hanging up. He sat down on his bed and ran a hand through his messy hair.

What had he gotten himself into? 

* * *

“This is the merchandise. Make sure you don’t get them too dirty during the trip.” The man pushed two girls inside the room. They looked to be around fifteen, both dressed in revealing outfits and a face caked with make-up, neither smiling. One of them, a blonde girl with bright blue eyes, stared up at Garfield with undeniable fear. He felt a sense of guilt overwhelm him, but he didn’t outwardly show it. Another man walked over and tied a cloth over their eyes before pushing them to the ground.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly do you do for Trigon?” Garfield addressed the man who’d kidnapped him only a few days prior.

“Me? I’m kind of like Trigon’s left hand. I run errands, and he repays me with a great lifestyle surrounded by these whores,” he gestured to the girls in front of him, and Garfield felt the urging need to punch him. He contained it though, and he didn’t comment on it.

“Seems fitting,” he replied.

The man furrowed his eyebrows and took a step forward, practically towering over Garfield. Now that he noticed, he was much much larger than Vic, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Garfield only stared, however, not letting any fear come through.

“Jared,” a voice behind him called, and they both looked back. Garfield felt his stomach drop. “Please contain yourself from attacking potential business partners,” Raven deadpanned. She stepped inside the room and glared at the man, seemingly unacknowledging of Garfield.

Jared snorted, “Whatever.” He approached Raven, “You know, you wouldn’t be all that without Daddy’s protection, now would you Rachel? I don’t even know why he would will all of his fame and fortune to you out of all people.”

Raven watched him intently, “Are you insinuating that you’d be better equipped with handling Trenton’s assets?”

“Of course I would. Even Jack would be better suited, and that dumbass can’t do shit,” Jared growled, inching closer to her. Garfield wanted to jump in, but he decided against it. He had to keep his cool, keep in character while he could.

“You know, Jared, your problem is that your anger often gets the best of you. Maybe if you’d learn to control it, Trigon would pay more attention to you. But he doesn’t because he considers you the _disposable son_.”

Jared grimaced, his fists clenching and unclenching.

“That’s enough,” Trenton announced as he walked in. “Leave her alone, Wrath, and go find your brothers. I’ve got an assignment for you.”

Jared glared one last time before pushing past Raven and exiting the room. Raven finally made eye-contact with Garfield, and he felt his knees grow significantly weaker at her gaze.

“Mr. Steven. I hope you’re ready for your long trip. You will be traveling our usual route. This mission should be rather easy, especially for you. I trust that everything will go as planned,” Trenton explained. He glanced at the two girls sitting against the wall. “Take them to the jet,” he ordered two of his henchman who quickly rounded them up like sheep in a farm. “I will be sending one of my most trusted assistants with you. She will be overlooking your mission, and if something were to go wrong, she’ll know exactly what steps to take.”

Garfield locked eyes with Raven, who stared at him with an unreadable expression (like she usually did). “She can be a little difficult to deal with sometimes, but I trust that you two will get along. In case you don’t know Rachel, she’s Mr. Nol’s wife and-”

“Your daughter,” Garfield finished for him, his eyes still scanning Raven. He looked back at Trenton. “I’m aware.”

Trenton nodded, “Very well. I look forward to working with you after this mission, David. I hope everything goes as planned. Let me escort you to the jet.”

Raven and Garfield walked side by side while Trenton followed behind. As they reached the jet, they came to a halt by the stairs, “Have a safe flight,” Trenton told them before they climbed into the plane.

Once inside, the two men who had brought the girls walked out and the doors shut shortly after. As they got ready for take-off, they remained quiet. Garfield took a seat on the chair nearest to one of the windows and watched the two girls silently cry and hold on to each other in the corner. He wanted to console them, but he wasn’t sure if there was any surveillance on the plane.

Ten minutes later they were on the air. Raven stood up and walked to the pilot’s cabin. Garfield couldn’t exactly hear what she said, but when she walked out, she glared daggers at him.

“The cameras are off and the microphones are muted. Will you explain to me what the hell you’re still doing here? And why you’re setting up a partnership with Trigon of all people?” she questioned, finally showing some sort of emotion--despite that being anger.

“I’m gathering intel against your father.”

“By trafficking two young girls across the border? How does committing a crime translate into gathering intel?” she demanded.

Garfield let out a humorless chuckle, “Look who’s talking Raven.”

Raven narrowed her eyes, “The difference between you and me, Gar, is that I didn’t choose this lifestyle. I was born into it. You, on the other hand, had no reason to get involved. Do you realize how fucking hard Trigon is to take down? Take it from his own daughter. He has all kinds of back-up plans, especially against someone like me. Why do you think _you_ of all people can take him down by pulling some stupid shit like this? The only thing you’ll accomplish is getting yourself in jail.”

Garfield sighed, “Raven, please, if we work together, we’ll have a better-”

“Just stop it, Gar. I don’t know what you’re playing at, but it’s not going to work. I don’t understand how after all of these years you’re still stuck in this fantasy world where you and I-”

“Are you going to kill us?” the blonde girl interrupted Raven, her voice quiet and trembling.

Garfield stood up and approached the girl whose eyes widened with fear as he neared them. “We’re not going to kill you. On the contrary, we’re going to make sure you’re safe. No one will hurt you anymore.”

“How do you know that..? You’re one of the bad guys…” she muttered.

It felt like a bullet pierced Garfield’s heart, and he bit his lip, “I’m not. I’m an undercover officer. I’m going to make sure you get home safely. When we land in the United States, we’re going to find you a safe place with other police officers around. This will never happen to you again. I promise.”

“We’re not landing in the United States, Gar,” Raven told him.

Garfield turned back to her, “Where are we going?”

“We’re landing in the Dominican Republic, where we’ll sail off a boat to Puerto Rico and then to Florida, where the customer will be waiting. What exactly do you plan to do then?”

“I can call Dick to set up a seize,” Garfield responded.

“If you do that, you’ll be discovered quickly. The customer we’re looking for has dozens of guards around. Any of them can contact Trenton’s men at any time. Trigon will know you’re an agent faster than you can count to three. You’re going to need a better plan if you’re going to stop this transaction.”

“Then we can send the girls somewhere to hide and-”

“They have an implanted chip in their skin. The moment that chip is removed or we move off course during the trip, it’ll alert Trenton. He’ll know.”

Garfield frowned, “Well what do you suggest we do?”

Raven took a seat and stayed quiet for a moment. Garfield thought she wouldn’t answer, but before he could berate her for it, she spoke, “We make sure the customer doesn’t make it to the meeting point.” She looked up, “That way we delay the transaction long enough to distract Trenton and get the target off our backs.”

“Alright, how are we going to do that?”

“That’s your friends’ job. Not ours. We can’t do anything as long as we’re with them,” she gestured at the girls.

Garfield sighed. Of course, he’d need Dick’s help after all. “Who’s the customer?”

Raven took out a tablet from her purse and typed something. She handed it to Garfield, whose eyes scanned through the document carefully.

“He operates under the alias _The Terminator_ , but his name is Slade Wilson.”


	4. Memories

**Memories**

After walking to the private sector of the plane where they could make sure no one else was listening, Garfield went straight to the point.

"Slade Wilson?" he pronounced his name like venom in his mouth.

"Do you know him?" Raven questioned.

Garfield stayed quiet for a moment, the gears in his head turning as if he were searching his memory reservoir. Though the name appeared oddly familiar as if in some other lifetime or universe he'd considered the man a foe, he couldn't pinpoint why the name struck a chord, so he shook his head.

"Slade is a mercenary. One of the worse that exist in this world. He's the one person who deserves no mercy or forgiveness, apart from my father. He operates under the shadows, and not even my father knows much about him, or at least he isn't vocal about his knowledge of  _The Terminator_. So a raid during this transaction won't be too out of character for him, and it might as well start an underground war. Fortunately for us, it would serve as beneficial," Raven's eyes dropped to the tablet in front of her, and she scrolled through a file for a moment. "Trigon hates betrayal. The men who have attempted to defy him or pesky agents like you who've managed to get so far have all disappeared for good. I can't tell you where they've gone or where their bodies were left because not even I know that. Trigon operates with a suspect everyone kind of psychology. It's how he's been able to survive for so long without being caught. If we manage to put Slade and him against each other, we'll distract long enough to get the girls to safety. As for catching him ourselves…" she sighed. "It's impossible."

Garfield clenched his fists, "I refuse to believe that. You've been around him for decades. There has to be a way."

Raven locked eyes with him, "It's impossible to catch him  _by_   _ourselves_."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Who would help us?"

"Not help per se. He would never dare to help us uncover his most powerful ally, but by the amount of knowledge I have of him, I'm willing to bet he has some form of physical evidence that can bring Trigon down if he ever wanted to. I know my father does of him. It's the only way they can trust each other. Two power-hungry maniacs won't ever work willingly with each other unless they had a plan to bring the other down if ever necessary."

"So, who's this big rival/ally you're talking about?" Garfield asked.

"Slade himself."

Garfield crossed his arms, attempting to gather his thoughts, "So you're telling me we should fight fire with fire?"

"Granted they're different types of fire and that metaphor is both stupid and overused, yes if it helps you understand what I mean," Raven muttered.

Garfield ignored her comment and continued, "How do you propose we do that?"

"We have to enter the beast's cave ourselves," she stated. "Slade isn't stupid enough to keep his most essential information in an online network where technology experts like Felicity Smoak or Zari Tomaz can hack into. He has to have a physical place where he keeps his crucial evidence."

"Well, we just have to find it then," he started. "I can contact-"

"I already know where it is," Raven interrupted him.

"You do?"

Raven sighed and closed her eyes while massaging the bridge of her nose, "One of the most secure vaults located in an island outside Australia. The only way to get in is with a key that Slade keeps somewhere in his personal office."

"How do you know all of this?" Garfield abruptly asked.

Raven opened her eyes and sat back in her seat, "Malchior might be an irritating, somewhat controllable husband, but he's a master in uncovering information. It's why Trigon considers him so far up the ranks."

Garfield clenched his jaw at the mention of her husband, "Right… So how are we going to go about unveiling Trigon's true identity?"

"First, we have to take the girls to safety," Raven reminded him.

"Right," Garfield nodded.

"So you have to call your friend to organize the raid at our meeting location," she replied.

"I thought you said we shouldn't seize the place?"

"I changed my mind. We have to make sure it looks like Trigon set Slade up to be discovered. Though it might be a stupid strategy from Trigon's part, it'll deter the attention from us long enough to deactivate the girl's tracking devices. We're going to have to take them off there, and we'll have to find a place to hide afterward. If you want to save the girls, there's no other way than to uncover that you've been conspiring against Trigon."

"What about you?"

"I… can't leave. If he figures out I'm conspiring against him. Everything could fall apart very easily. He could figure out what our plan is. You have to act as if you're holding me against my will," she told him.

"I'm not going to do that! You'll go back, and if Trigon is discovered, they'll take you in too," Garfield exclaimed.

"It's the easiest way, Gar. Any other plan would prove to be riskier than this. Not to mention if I stay at his side, I can figure out what he'll plan against you. You'll have a better chance with an inside person."

Garfield sighed and ran a hand through his well-maintained yet unfamiliar hair, "Fine… We'll do that." He took a step forward and took her hands into his. "But I promise I'll get you out safely."

Raven simply stared at him and gently removed her hands from him, "Don't promise things you can't ensure," she told him before walking back into the room where the girls were.

Garfield was left with his mouth agape and his eyes wide. He lowered the hand that was still up in mid-air and let out a deep breath. He reached inside his pocket where he acquired the phone Raven had returned and dialed Dick.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dick, it's me, Gar," he told him, figuring he was done with their code names.

"Gar? What happened? I thought you were done with my orders," Dick replied.

Garfield placed a finger in the bridge of his nose, attempting to not sound so pathetic when he asked, "I need your help."

There was a pause at the end of the line before Dick sighed, "Alright, talk."

* * *

"What'cha reading?" a voice asked from behind her, his breath eerily close to her neck.

" _And Then There Were None_ ," she responded as she flipped the page.

"Hmph, still the same boring ol' Rae, huh?" Garfield replied, taking a seat next to her on the couch.

Raven rolled her eyes before replying, "Still the same irritating ol' Gar?" she mocked.

"I'm glad," he told her, a big smile on his face. "Also, I hadn't heard that nickname coming from you in such a long time. Brings back memories."

"Garfield, we're not going to start with this again-" she started.

"Woah, hold on," Garfield interrupted her and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch somewhat. "I was just mentioning it. I didn't intend to start another fight. I'm sorry."

Raven bit her lip and sat back, laying the book on her lap and turning to look at him. He watched her for a moment, his huge emerald eyes observing her with such emotion, it made her stomach dizzy. She quickly looked away after that, opting to look out the window, "Did you talk to Richard?"

"Yes," he responded, his tone clearly disappointed by their lack of conversation. "He agreed to the plan."

"Perfect."

They remained silent for a few moments neither unsure of what to say next.

"So… Are you going to tell me what's been going on in your life since… Well, since high school?" Garfield began, his eyes still staring at the side of her face.

"Not a lot beside attending gala events with Malchior and acting like his trophy wife," she muttered.

"He's a son of a bitch," Garfield abruptly let out.

Raven chuckled, and it was music to his ears, "His mother is nothing like him. Such a sweet, naive woman. Hasn't got any idea of the kind of demon child she spawned."

"You met his mother?" he asked suddenly, though then he realized how stupid it sounded.

"Yes, Gar, we are married, after all," she reiterated.

"Oh," he muttered, suddenly spiteful of the fact that she never got a chance to meet Rita.

After a few more moments of silence, he asked, "Aren't you going to ask me how I've been?"

"No, not really."

"Well too bad, I'll tell you anyway," Garfield smirked, and Raven rolled her eyes again.

"I got a dog," he started.

"Really?" she sounded rather unimpressed.

"Yup. I'm a K9 officer now, and Blue is the best partner I could ever ask for," he continued.

"Suits you, at least."

"Yeah. I double-majored in Criminal Justice and Animal Behavior."

"How smart of you."

"I know right? Seems off-character, huh? I guess I always had it in me. Girls still swoon over me, by the way. I guess they like the idea of dating an authority figure like a police officer."

"Perhaps."

"What about you? Guys still after you?"

Raven turned to him with narrowed eyes, "Guys don't swoon over the wife of a powerful man, Gar. They fear her."

"Suits you," Garfield smiled. "Good thing I'm not like other guys," he muttered while shifting closer.

"You're still as clueless as ever, Gar. You haven't changed a bit, huh? Always living on the edge of danger. You really do have a deathwish," Raven commented.

"I'm just a committed guy," he shrugged.

"How's Kory?" she changed the subject.

"Well, she's still beautiful. Always gathering unwanted attention. She's modeled for a few agencies too, but it's not her job. She says it makes her feel like a piece of meat. She's a language translator for SFPD, and she's currently in a relationship with our one and only Casanova Dick Grayson."

"Weren't they dating in high school?"

"Yeah, but they have a rather… Complex relation. They've been back and forth for ages now. Sometimes engaged, once they almost got married, then fought, then they dated other people, then they were friends with benefits or something, now they're back at square one. I swear they're more complicated than Wonder Girl's past."

"Who's Wonder Girl?" Raven furrowed her eyebrows.

"Just comic book things," Garfield dismissed it. "So they're back together now, and at this point, I've stopped taking them seriously. Vic is doing pretty well. He's working on some really neat techy things at the office. Some of my spy gear he designed himself," he chuckled. "He's now happily married to Sarah, and I believe they've been thinking about adopting a kid."

"That's wonderful," she nodded, voice still as dry as ever but he could tell by her expression that she meant it.

That was the thing about Raven. That even after more than a decade, he could still understand her like it was just yesterday.

"Can't wait until all of this is over, so you can go see them again. They'll be really happy," he smiled.

Raven bit her lip and somewhat nodded, "Sometimes you're too hopeful Gar. It's going to end you."

"No, Rae," he shook his head. "I think you're not hopeful enough."

She opened her book again and started up on the same page she was reading before, "Perhaps, but in my world, it's called survival."

"When are we getting to our destination?" he asked, though it appeared she was already tuning him out.

"Six hours give or take. So get comfortable, we'll be here a while," she replied.

Garfield sat back on his seat and looked out of the window to his left. His eyes traced the foggy atmosphere before his eyelids began to grow heavy. Soon enough, sleep enveloped his vision, and he fell into a deep slumber in the quiet of the room, his ears only registering Raven's soft breathing next to him.

He dreamt of her, cuddled by his side on the sofa and the warmth of her body calming him. Though perhaps it wasn't just a dream.


	5. Reunions

 

**Reunions**

"Gar, wake up," a distant voice whispered within the darkness.

"Garfield," he could sense a light approaching, a sparkle growing by the second, enveloping his vision as if a faraway star was in the process of moving to its next stage. He could almost reach for it, letting its warmth caress his skin, bathing in its glory.

"Wake. Up," he jolted awake, eyes wide and staring at the ceiling. To his left, Raven was glaring at him with her arms crossed.

"What?" he mumbled as he sat up and rubbed his forehead.

"We're here."

"We are?" he jumped up and looked out the window, realizing the plane was in the process of landing.

"Yes, now get your things ready. We're going to arrive at the dock by nighttime."

"They're sailing during the night?"

"Yes," she sighed, clearly already frustrated with his dozen questions. "I'll get the girls," she said before disappearing into the back.

Garfield stood up and gathered his suitcase. He put on his glasses and turned on the camera lens, just in case. He adjusted his suit and took a deep breath, only hoping the mission would go through smoothly.

It took only about half an hour to get off the plane, ride on a suspicious worn-out truck, and arrive at the docks where they boarded a rusty cargo ship. The night trip proved to be longer, lasting until the next morning where around nine, Garfield was finally able to spot his beloved earth. Already, he felt like his stomach was killing him for being on the sea for so long.

The girls were obedient during their trip, slowly gaining his trust, and Gar made sure to talk to them often, just to ensure they were doing alright. He repeatedly promised them they would be alright because for him there was no other option than to make it through this mission successfully. They rested at a hotel for a day, and for the first time in his life, even though it was during a messed up occasion, he felt like he was on just another vacation with his family.

Though they only ordered a room of two queen beds to feign the image of a family on a trip, Garfield slept on the couch that night while the two girls and Raven took the beds. He didn't mind though. The simple feeling of knowing Raven was by his side, in the same room, safe, was all it took to comfort him through the night.

Early the next morning, they continued on their trip, and it proved to be the longest part yet. It took nearly two days to sail from Puerto Rico to Florida on a private boat Raven's father had ordered. When they arrived at land, once again, Garfield felt absolutely exhausted, and the mission hadn't even begun. Luckily, no one suspected a thing about the traveling "family," and now it was a matter of arriving at the pick-up spot in time.

"Do I need to repeat the plan again?" Raven asked Garfield, her eyes narrowed and clearly doubting of his ability to follow orders. He understood why though. He knew himself enough to know that if it came to it, he would sacrifice the plan for his loved ones.

"No, you don't," he rolled his eyes.

"Perfect," she turned to the girls. "You two are going to stay in the car, and in under no circumstances will you exit until your trackers are off, got it? There will be a man who will come in to take them off, and he'll sneak you out the back and take you," she showed them the picture again. "You won't go with anyone else but him. You can trust him."

The girls nodded.

"Okay," Raven stated with a sigh. "Let's go then."

* * *

The mission was going by better than Garfield thought it would go. Slade was definitely an intimidating man but nowhere near terrifying in his elegant suit. There were two guards behind him, but Gar presumed there were more hiding in the area.

"Where are the girls?" Slade questioned with impatience.

"They're in the truck. I will bring them," she replied as she turned, glancing for barely a second at Garfield to give him his cue.

He took a deep breath before pressing the button hidden in his pocket, and it began.

"Freeze!" the unmistaken voice of Dick echoed throughout the warehouse and the sound of stomping all around them gave Garfield his own signal.

Slade's men looked taken aback, but Slade himself didn't appear shocked at all. … Did he know?

"What is this?" he demanded.

"Get on your knees now!" Dick retorted, and Slade slowly did as told, eyes still focused on Garfield.

Garfield heard Raven fall on the floor next to him knocked on her knees by one of the officers, and he found himself clenching his fists, wishing he could do something for her.  _Stick to the plan,_  he repeated.  _Stick to the plan._

"You think you can fool me, boy?" Slade let out, and the smile he gave sent chills through Gar's spine. "I know what you're playing at." He glimpsed at Raven, and though he didn't say anything, Garfield could tell he didn't believe it.  _He didn't believe it_. And it wasn't supposed to go down like that.

And in a matter of seconds, the mission completely fell into ashes the moment dozens of bullets started to shoot out from every direction. By pure instinct, he fell to the ground on top of Raven to act as a shield.

"What are you doing!?" she seemed more preoccupied about staying with the plan than saving her own life.

"We have to get out of here," he muttered as he crawled toward the front of the truck as quickly as he could in the midst of the shooting field.

"It's going to blow my cover!"

"I don't care, Raven! I'm trying to save your life here!" he spat out as he opened the passenger seat door and snuck in. When he turned back, he realized Slade had vanished, and Dick's men were looking in all directions shooting at their hidden attackers.

Raven closed the door behind her as Gar got in the driver's seat. Fortunately, the girls were gone, meaning at least Victor had managed to go through with his role in the plan.

"Engine's fried," Raven noted as she pointed to the bullet holes in the front.

"Damn it!" Garfield exclaimed and spotted Dick on the rearview mirror in front of the police cars and military trucks. "Follow me," he told her as he exited the vehicle again and snuck to the back.

"Retreat!" Dick ordered his men just as Garfield and Raven boarded Dick's car.

They were out of there in less than a minute.

"Richard," Raven acknowledged after moments of silence. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Raven. It's been almost a decade at this point?"

"Yes," she pursed her lips, eyes wandering over to Garfield. She was nervous. He could tell. He hadn't followed the plan, and now they were as clueless as ever as to what their next step would be. It was clear that Slade was not going to fall for their stunt, and now they had two enemies. Worst of all, the cover she'd spent such a long time keeping was shattered in less than a second, and he could tell she was infuriated, probably not fully with him but also with herself. "It has."

"Kory will be so happy to see you."

"Perhaps, but I also did leave without telling anyone."

"Leave it in the past, Rae," Garfield assured her and managed a small smile. "Live in the moment."

She didn't return his sentiment as it appeared, and she only glanced away. Though he knew she'd be somewhat angry with him for a while, he didn't regret his decision. He had her back, safe and sound.

And that's all that mattered to him.

Turns out, Dick was wrong in saying Kory would be happy to see Raven. She was ecstatic. The moment they walked through the door, she almost tackled her with her embrace, and Raven simply stood frozen like a deer in the headlights for what seemed like ten minutes. It was sort of a funny sight.

"I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed as she pulled away, tears filling her eyes. "I can't believe you're actually here!"

Raven managed a smile, "It's good to see you, Kory."

Garfield hadn't even noticed Vic had entered the room until Raven turned to the person beside him and sent them a nod, "Victor," her smile widened a bit.

His smile was almost as wide as Kory's as he stepped forward and pulled her into another hug. "I'm glad my baby sis is okay."

Garfield chuckled, "No one's going to greet me with a hug?"

Kory proceeded to pull him into a hug, although more brief than Raven's. "Garfield Mark Logan, we see you nearly every day at work. I believe Raven deserves a better welcome considering you were only gone for a month. She's been gone for years!"

"You're right about that," he shrugged, though kept his smile. He couldn't be happier, despite having the mission go all kinds of wrong.

"Where are the girls?" Garfield asked.

"They've been taken into foster families for the time being and put under witness protection," Dick explained. "We should probably do that with you too," he glanced at Raven.

"She can stay with me," Garfield quickly intervened, not even letting Dick finish his sentence.

He wasn't going to lose her so easily. Trigon had pawns everywhere. He wasn't going to let her slip away just after she'd found her. Not anymore.

"It'll be dangerous, Gar."

"She will stay with me," he repeated, clear with his assertion.

"Very well," Dick knew better than to argue with him when his mind was set.

"We should celebrate your arrival!" Kory squealed with excitement as she hooked her arm with Dick's. "Let's go to that restaurant you took me to!"

Raven shook her head, though smiling at Kory—that beautiful smile he'd missed for so long. "Not at the moment, Kory. There's nothing to celebrate just yet. I have to avoid anyone recognizing me."

"I will take care of your makeover! Don't worry! No one will recognize you!"

"Can you take care of mine while you're at it? I'm tired of acting like this David dude. He's nothing like me," Garfield complained.

"He wasn't a very good actor," Raven noted, in her typical detached manner.

During their high school days, he would've been somewhat annoyed with her dry demeanor. At the moment, he couldn't be happier to hear it.

* * *

"I think she's ready," Kory proudly declared as she closed the door of her office behind her.

"Record time, Kor. Even faster than fixing me," he grinned.

Vic put his hand on his head and ruffled his messy hair around, "Glad to see you back as a blonde, to be honest. Black hair didn't suit you well," he teased.

"Hey! I look handsome with  _any_  look," he pouted.

"Guys," Kory interrupted as the door opened next to her, and Raven—or more specifically a different version of herself— stepped through.

"Wow," Dick's surprise was evident through his dark shades. "You look so different."

"That's the point," she chuckled, and Garfield felt the butterflies erupt in his stomach as if he were a schoolboy fanning over his crush all over again.

It was Raven, that he knew, but she looked nothing like Raven. As opposed to her beautiful dark locks, her hair was long and a caramel shade. Her contacts were a light blue, and though pretty, they were nothing compared to her gorgeous deep blue gaze. Her clothing was brighter than the usual dark colors she preferred, and it appeared more stylish, definitely Kory's style.

"Everyone, I want to introduce you to Pride Summers."

Vic whistled and patted her on the shoulder, "You look great, Rae."

"I am not a fan of this look," she sighed.

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," Dick reassured her. "I'll go prep the car. We're going out for dinner."

"How wonderful!" Kory squealed as she followed him, leaving the trio behind.

It was quiet for a moment until Vic looked in between them and cleared his throat, "You'll be okay, Rae," he rubbed her shoulder before saying, "I'll follow them. Don't take too long."

He flashed Garfield a grin before disappearing around the corner. Garfield chuckled and got closer to Raven who only crossed her arms and observed him with intrigue, her signature look. God, he had missed her.

"Let me guess," she began. "You'll start by flirting with me by saying how beautiful I look like this, and then you'll make a stupid pun."

He laughed. His hand reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before raising her chin to look deeply into her eyes, that unfamiliar gaze. "Raven is much more beautiful than Pride Summers will ever be."

She arched an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "Is she?"

Garfield nodded as he got closer, her face only inches away. "Your eyes are prettier than those contacts you're wearing."

Raven faintly smiled before replying, "Your eyes are more beautiful than those contacts you were wearing."

To say he was surprised would certainly be an understatement. Never before had he heard Raven return one of his compliments in such a way, and he could tell he would keep the memory of it until his lasting days.

His gazed traced down to the outline of her lips, aching to taste them again, to feel the softness of them against his own. However, before he could kiss her, Vic's voice rung down the hallway, "Whatever you two are doing, hurry up, we're not going to wait all night!"

Garfield huffed, tracing her cheek with his finger before pulling away. He bowed and offered a hand in a gentlemanly manner, "M'lady."

Raven rolled her eyes but took it anyway. "Stop fooling around and let's go celebrate."

 


End file.
